Tag Archives: clare champion

AN innovative ‘talent mapping’ project will position Clare as an attractive location for inward investment, Clare County Council’s Director of Economic Development believes. Clare County Council in partnership with Irish technology company, Abodoo, have launched the initiative aimed at mapping the talent and skills of those living and working in Clare. The aim of the project is to develop ongoing live skills mapping for the county, align with Clare’s growing international business profile and showcase the broad talent Clare has to offer. The work will leverage Abodoo’s AI skills data information technology in order to identify the skills that exist within Clare. The Talent Mapping Technology will provide ongoing anonymised data analysis of the skills in Clare, both for persons residing here, as well as the diaspora or those working remotely wishing to relocate to a setting with equal access to urban and rural life, and which allows for improved work life balance. The data provided to Clare County Council …

OLDER residents of Ennis are “feeling very isolated” because of the condition of footpaths during cold spells, a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District has heard. The growing numbers of people enjoying the outdoors during the latest lock-down has prompted calls on the local authority to ensure footpaths are safe and salted during cold spells. Councillor Ann Norton raised the issue at a recent meeting of the local authority where she pointed out that there are now many people out walking as Covid restrictions are preventing people from going outside of 5km. “I’m asking the Ennis Municipal District to make sure that footpaths are safe and maintained and with cold icy weather that footpaths are salted where possible to prevent accidents.” Eamon O’Dea, senior engineer, responded, “As cold spells in Ireland are normally of short duration it is difficult to structure a maintenance schedule for footpath salting or gritting. Where cold weather conditions prevail the key access point within the …

CLARE people at home and abroad are invited to come together virtually to celebrate St Patrick’s Day 2021 online. This year, Clare County Council is organising and presenting an online St Patrick’s Day event with the theme of ‘Connecting Clare’, and everyone can get involved. The Council is inviting Clare people at home and abroad to celebrate St Patrick’s Day together, by actively participating in the online event or by joining in on the day as a member of our global audience. “The event is a wonderful opportunity for Clare people to showcase their talents across the globe. To participate, we are requesting that you record an individual or group performance and submit it to us online (please see details below). You might like to get members of your group to log on to Zoom and record all the individuals performing together as a group online. We are looking for variety so music, song, poetry, dance, backyard parade – the choice …

THE Garda Síochána Retired Members Association have made an appeal to the people of Clare to get involved in a new project ahead of next year’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the service. The project, ‘Capturing our History – an Oral History of An Garda Síochána 1922-2022’ will record and capture the oral living history policing in modern times. It will also seek to add to the lore of recorded history of Irish policing. A spokesperson commented, “Our appeal is to all retired members, serving members of the Garda Síochána, their families and the wider public for their participation in this worthwhile event. They possess photographs, records and memories/recollections of their service across the length and breadth of Ireland especially in some notable and dark times in the turbulent history of our Nation. It’s vital that this unique history is not lost.” The GSRMA is a national association of retired Gardaí and widows in Ireland and …

THE full programme for the 15th Ennis Book Club Festival was announced this week. This year’s festival will be a hybrid of online events in March with live events taking place in April and September. As always Ennis Book Club Festival 2021 will offer opportunities to engage with favourite authors and features an additional programme of events for younger readers. While the festival cannot welcome book lovers to Ennis this March as ever, it will provide plenty of events to stimulate discussion and inspire reading, from the comfort of the couch. Commenting on the programme for the 2021 Ennis Book Club Festival, Artistic Director Dani Gill, says, “We have had to re-imagine the festival several times this year with the changing circumstances, and while people are having to remain at home, we hope that at least, there have been some good books on the go, and that people will engage with our online offerings next month. “A lot of work …

IRISH Rail is proposing to open a number of new stations along the Ennis to Limerick railway line, including stops close to the Limerick Institute of Technology and University of Limerick which would improve access for Clare students, and a park-and-ride facility at Cratloe. Chief Executive of Irish Rail Jim Meade outlined the plans for Clare at an Oireachtas Committee on Transport this week following a number of questions by Clare Senator Timmy Dooley. Mr Meade also told the meeting that a technically viable drainage scheme which would prevent the “long running saga” of recurring flooding at Ballycar has been submitted for government approval and funding. And he indicated that Irish Rail would support moves to open a station at Crusheen. Speaking to the Clare Champion following the meeting, Senator Dooley said it is “clear” that Irish Rail is in touch with the issues in Clare. “I am very pleased that Irish Rail are committed to increasing capacity and increasing …

ON this National No Smoking Day County Clare is launching a ‘Not Around Us’ campaign. The initiative is being led by Clare County Council’s Healthy Clare team in partnership with a range of stakeholders including the HSE’s QUIT-Mid-West team, Clare Comhairle na nÓg, Clare Children and Young People’s Services Committee, Clare Youth Services, Clare Sports Partnership, Greener Clare and Healthy Ireland. “Not Around Us” is another step Towards a Tobacco and Vape Free Clare by promoting environments where it is easier for those who smoke to quit and stay quit and to help de-normalise smoking for the next generation. The campaign is in response to the government’s national target for a less than 5% smoking prevalence in Ireland by 2025. It is about supporting Chapter 7 of the Tobacco Free Ireland policy – denormalisation of smoking and protection of children and young people. The purpose of Not Around Us is to: • Help protect children and young people from second-hand smoke exposure. • Contribute to the denormalisation of …

CLARE interior designer Trish O’Brien will be opening up her home to the nation this Tuesday as RTÉ’s popular Home of the Year returns to our screens. Trish will be showcasing her re-designed early 1900s farmhouse, which she has transformed to create a modern family home for her family. She designed a modern extension that linked to the original farmhouse with Limerick-based architect Shane O’Neill of SONARC. They gutted the farmhouse back to its original state so they could keep the traditional exterior. The extension is very modern with open plan spaces downstairs and has a glass link to the original house. The home has four bedrooms and was a big passion project for Trish. The interior style is bright, modern with a mix of textures. Her home will be one of three featured in Home of the Year on Tuesday, February 16 on RTÉ One at 8.30pm. The show returns for a seventh series with two new judges at …